ISS staff and the GMB union staged a protest outside Kingston hospital Saturday as they vowed to continue their campaign for better working conditions.

GMB said that the 'March for Workers' Rights' demo had been attended by about 150 protestors in total, with ISS employees, GMB activists and concerned politicians all turning out to support the workers.

The demonstrators picketed outside the hospital while statements of support by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth were read out, adding to vocal support from passersby and Kingston hospital staff alike.

Other supporters of the campaign attended in a personal capacity.

Croydon North MP Steve Reed (Lab) spoke in support of the ISS employees, while GMB General Secretary Tim Roache said that any attempts by ISS to stop GMB campaigning on behalf of members at Kingston Hospital would lead to even more protests in the future.

ISS employees are campaigning with GMB union to receive the London Living Wage of £10.55 per hour and an improved sick pay scheme that would offer more comprehensive coverage from its inception.

GMB Regional Organiser Helen O'Connor said that the current conditions ISS workers at the hospital worked in were unacceptable.

Ms O'Connor said: "It is scandalous that low paid hospital workers are forced to go into work amongst patients when they are unwell themselves. ISS managers, who themselves enjoy high salaries and a full sick pay scheme are showing utter contempt for hospital staff, patients and the entire NHS itself by refusing to treat their workforce in a fair and decent way."

Those campaigning argue that ISS refuse to pay many of its staff a wage they can live on, and that managers or 'salaried staff' all get sick pay from the moment they join the company, while ISS porters, caterers and cleaners at the site must wait to accrue sick pay 'credits' before receiving sick pay.

ISS have dismissed the GMB union's role in the campaign and argued that another union, UNISON, represents its employees at the hospital.

GMB said that ISS were refusing to recognize GMB as the legitimate employer of any ISS staff at Kingston hospital unless both parties dropped their campaign altogether.

Ms O'Connor said: "ISS managers wanted to offer GMB a 'partnership agreement' on the basis that we stopped any form of campaigning for our members' basic rights, but GMB will not accept 'partnership' at any price."

In a statement to the Surrey Comet, ISS said last week that GMB were not the lawful union of its employees at the hospital, and denied that their sick pay schemes were insufficient.

The ISS statement read: "We are disappointed that GMB continues to demonstrate outside the hospital, when they are not the lawfully recognised trade union for ISS employees at Kingston, thereby undermining our relationship with a fellow TUC affiliated, national trade union who represent our employees' interests with us. We intend to continue our dialogue, working in partnership with UNISON which has, over the years, been of significant benefit to our employees.

"Our employees enjoy terms and conditions of service which compare favourably with employers in our sector and, more widely with employers in the UK."